(John 1:1-14) Prayer: O Jesus, thank you for leaving the Father’s side and becoming a man. Imagination: (Imagine Mary telling the angel, Gabriel, that she would be God’s mother.) Context: Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist. Matthew and Luke begin their gospels with infancy stories. John begins his …
(Luke 2:36-40) Prayer: O Lord, teach me to fast, to pray and to listen to your word. Imagination: (Picture Joseph and Mary holding the Christ Child in the presence of Simeon and Anna.) Context: Luke likes to portray both men and women ministering. So, he added Anna, a prophetess, to …
(Luke 1:57-63) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to obey your word. Imagination: (Picture Elizabeth and Zechariah surrounded by their neighbors.) Context: Luke’s gospel describes the miracles that surround the conceptions and births of both John and Jesus. These numerous miracles proclaim that both are very special to God’s plan. …
(John 5:33-36) Prayer: O Jesus, I believe that you were sent by the Father. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: In Advent, the readings highlight the role of John the Baptist. Jesus calls John a “lamp burning bright” because he testified about Jesus. Yet, Jesus has even greater …
(Matthew 11:16-19) Prayer: O Jesus, open my heart to all the messengers you send to me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples). Context: This parable shows hostility toward Jesus. The children cannot agree, so their quarrels end their playtime. The cause is laziness. Some children expect others to do the …
(Matthew 9:27-31) Prayer: O Jesus, make me confident that you can make me see. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples.) Context: After raising the little girl to life, Jesus encounters two blind men. They give him the Messianic title, “Son of David” and proclaim that they have confidence that he …
(Luke 21:29-33) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to act now. So much is about to happen. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: Jesus has just predicted the fall of Jerusalem and declared that, at a given moment, he will come on clouds of glory. Because people think that this …
(Luke 19:45-48) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your purified disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the Temple) Context: In all four gospels, Jesus cleanses the temple. (Therefore, it is a very important event). Luke, in his gentle manner, omits many details known from the other gospels. He focuses on Jesus’ continued …
(Luke 17:26-37) Prayer – O Jesus, let me watch and be ready for your coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples about his Second Coming.) Context: Jesus gives two separate images, the biblical stories of Noah and Lot and the difficult decisions necessary in an emergency. In Palestine, the roofs …
(Luke 16:1-8) Prayer: O Jesus, wake me up to the imminence of the Kingdom, so I respond fully. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples) Context: The parable uses real-life details. Rich owners often lived at a distance and depended on stewards who held promissory oaths of debtors. The steward wants …
(Luke 14: 1-6) Prayer: Lord Jesus, heal my infirmities. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with the Pharisees.) Context: In Luke’s gospel, Jesus spends much time at table. Usually, controversy erupts. Here, Jesus heals a man and the story focuses more on the controversy than on the healing. Gospel Text: (Read …
(Luke 12:54-59) Prayer – O Lord, do not let me lose the Kingdom. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: This text has two parts. First, people should be able to see that the Kingdom is at hand. Second, the disciple must act now and accept the Kingdom. Gospel …
(Luke 12: 1-7) Prayer – O Lord, you care for the sparrows. You will care also for me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching the dense crowds.) Context: This text has 2 parts. Having denounced the Pharisees to their face, Jesus is surrounded by crowds. However, he speaks to his disciples. He …
(Luke 11:15-26) Prayer – O Jesus, you always use your great power to bless us. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the disciples and the crowds). Context: All agree that Jesus worked these miracles and cast out Satan. In this gospel, some question the source of his power. Their reasoning is contradictory. …
(Luke 10:13-16) Prayer – Lord Jesus, let me use well this time for repentance given to me by the heavenly Father. Imagination – (Picture Jesus speaking to his disciples and the crowds.) Context: Jesus mentions three towns of Galilee – Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. The gospels do not record any …
(Luke 9:18-22) Prayer: O Holy Spirit, open to my heart the mystery of Jesus Christ. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples) Context: An earlier gospel showed what the Father wanted Jesus to accomplish for Israel. This gospel answers a deeper question. What is Jesus’ relationship to the Father and …
(Luke 8:1-3) Prayer – O Jesus, let me accompany you all the days of my life Imagination: (Picture Jesus with these special disciples, both men and women.) Context: Only Luke has this section which highlights the role of women in a ministering role for the Kingdom. Jesus had helped each …
(Luke 6:39-42) Prayer – O Lord, open my eyes to see the true path of devotion. Imagination – (Picture Jesus speaking with his disciples.) Context: Jesus continues to instruct his disciples. They are blind and if they do not listen to him they will remain blind. Even worse, they will …
(Luke 5:33-39) Prayer – O Jesus, give me faith which accepts your new Covenant. Imagination: (Picture Jesus surrounded by his disciples and his opponents.) Context: In this text, Jesus uses three images, the bridegroom, the new coat and the new wine. They all reveal the new powers of the Kingdom. …
(Matthew 25:1-13) Prayer: O Jesus, I will go out to meet you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: In Jesus’ time, because marriages were delayed for hours until all the arrangements were worked out. Therefore, there were many midnight processions by torchlight with the bridegroom arriving unexpectedly. In this …
